ARSENAL fans got it wrong on Sunday, their booing of Robin Van Persie, while expected was probably vented in the wrong direction. You have to wonder why on earth those who call Arsenal their team weren’t looking at the Frenchman in the suit in the home dugout or even more culpable the higher up’s that have controlled the purse strings at Arsenal. Ambition is not something to boo, it’s something to be admired and seeing that his were no longer met at Arsenal, he listened to the ‘child’ within and came to win things at Manchester United. Robin had and has always had the right idea, he wasn’t looking to piggyback while the team won and he knocked in the odd goal, he knew that given the price and the history, he’d have light up the team. He certainly did that, with 25 league goals he’s had the highest scoring debut season in the club’s history. Arsene Wenger now says that United probably would have won the league without him because we weren’t a million miles away from doing so last year. It doesn’t have to be a million miles, Arsene, it is still second place. Arsene would remember the difference, if he were still in charge of a team capable of that position.
The reason he isn’t is the reason Robin Van Persie left. They had ‘no choice’ to sell him, because he was in the last year of his contract. Departures like that happen when you suffer the way that they have, they went from the team to beat to thinking that the top four finish was equal to the league title. They might get there now, congratulations to Arsene and the team. I’m sure when Alex Oxo-Gravy Granules looks back at his career when he’s aged 99 years old, he’ll swell with pride when he tells stories of how Arsenal’s glorious year of reaching the top four. No league title medals, but a succession of fourth place finishes…wow. We are spoilt at Manchester United, our team only wins those, y’know, trophy things.
Imagine the dvd… 2012-2013 Season Review – We Made the Top Four.
The thing isn’t that he jumped to another club, the more you think, the more you realise it’s a miracle he stayed as long as he did.
That brings us to the Emirates Stadium last Sunday then. I’m sure the irony wasn’t lost that Robin Van Persie went back as a Champion to face the team that were handicapped by stadium payments. It’s a lovely place to play football I bet, you know what else is nice? Trophies. Just saying.
Arsenal deserve credit for the way they started the game, they were up for it and first to everything. When United had the ball they weren’t given the time or space to make anything happen. The only gift Arsenal gave United in that opening period was the guard of honour before kick-off. They deserved to go a goal up.
Robin Van Persie sent a header into Szczesny’s fizzog and the smart money was on him being a part of any equaliser so when he latched on to Bacary Sagna’s back pass it looked likely to happen. When Sagna took the man instead of the ball the penalty was the only option and RVP had a choice to make. Would he take his normal penalty and trust himself, or would he strike it like a man possessed and effected by the return to his former club, like Teddy Sheringham when he took that penalty on the opening day against Spurs? The post is still hurting from that.
In the event, the Arsenal ‘keeper had to pick the ball out of the back of the net and Robin ran back full of respect for his old team. It was arguably more than they deserved but it’s what people do, Wayne Rooney still gets booed by Everton fans. He gets booed by a few United fans too for that matter. AND, we boo Carlos Tevez but then, well, he is a money grabbing twunt of epic proportions. One wonders whether his community service is removing CITY CHAMPIONS graffiti from walls surrounding the Etihad.
A draw was the result, it mattered more to them that’s got to pay for that shiny stadium. If we have to have a hangover, then that wasn’t a bad game to have one – getting a win for Arsenal would have somehow proved that they aren’t as far from us as we all think, but it was end to end and we were rough as toast from being crowned champions. United, you are forgiven.
The club’s 20th championship and 13th Premier League crown in 2013, if only we could figure out why he left The Emirates. Anyone? Anyone?
GTS
Given to Score 